Releasing-hook.



R. A. GAERTNER.

RELEASING HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1911.

1,008,024. Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

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RALPH A. GAERTNER, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ARTHUR D. MULVEY, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

RELEASING-HOOK.

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To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH A. GAERTNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Releasing-Hooks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to releasing hooks, and particularly to boat-detaching hooks employed in lowering boats in davits.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character of strong and simple construction that will positively retain the boat in suspended condition and which may be instantly and freely released at the will of the operator at the moment of the boat touching the water.

In lowering a boat in a heavy sea a failure to detach both the hooks at either end of the boat practically simultaneously often leads to swamping or capsizing the boat. Coupled devices for detaching the fore and aft hooks in unison have been found troublesome and inconvenient and safety is to be best sought in the use of separate similar devices of said character at either end of the boat that may be manipulated with certainty and concurrently.

With these objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts of a davitfall hook, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings accompanying this application, Figure 1 is a side elevation of devices embodying my invention with the casing thereof shown in section. Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views to F ig. 1 with the separable parts respectively shown detached.

In said drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates the casing provided with an eye 2 for attachment with the tackle-blocks of a davit-fall. Said casing is further provided with an internal chamber or recess 3 at one side of which is mounted for vertical swinging movements the pivotal knuckle 4. The knuckle 1 is provided with an angular extension 6, the latter having a notch 7 at its upper extremity. A detent 8 pivoted at 9 at one end in said casing for limited vertical movement is adapted to have its other end 10 engage in said notch 7 and retain said extension 6 in an upright position. 11 is a spring tending to urge the detent in said notch. A flexible connection 12 is se- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 25, 1911.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

Serial No. 604,587.

cured to the detent in proximity of the end 10 of the latter whence it is passed over a sheave, as 18, and thence through a downwardly directed channel 13 in said casing to within reach of the operator. 14: is a hook having a shank 15 desirably extended to register with the meeting walls of said casing 1 and to mask the bottom opening of said recess 3. Extending upwardly from the shank is a lug 16 having an angularly directed nose 17 oppositely disposed to the knuckle 4.

The parts are normally coupled in the condition illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein the nose 17 is in hooked relation with the knuckle 4 which latter is retained in such operative condition by the engagement therewith of the detent 8.

The operation of the invention may be described as follows: Ordinarily, boat lowering and hoisting apparatus consists of two cables or falls passing through double blocks and suspended from the davits. The lower blocks fit into rings at each end of the boat and are usually unhooked by hand after the boat is lowered in the ordinary manner. In the event, however, of the boat being lowered in a heavy sea, or in any case of emergency, the flexible connection 12 of the devices are pulled to withdraw the detent from its lodgment in the notch 7 whereupon the weight of hook 14 and of the boat drag the knuckle downwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, and liberate said hook.

To assemble the parts of the device the nose 17 is entered in the aforesaid recess 3 whereupon the former encounters the extension 6 raising the same until the knuckle 1 is engaged by the shank 15 which further causes the pivotal upward movement of said extension. Upon the elevation of the latter to its uppermost position, the spring pressed detent is engaged within the notch 7 to again secure the knuckle 1 and the nose in releasable engagement, as described.

To prevent accidental release of the hook a removable pin 18 is provided in the downward path of the extension 6. Said pin is insertible in registering holes 19 in the opposite sides of said casing.

That I claim as my invention, is

1. In a releasing hook, a casing provided with an open lower end, a knuckle pivoted in said casing, a hook provided with an opposite end closing said open end and arranged to be engaged by said knuckle in one 01 its pivotal positions, and means for relcasably securing said knuckle in said position.

2. In a releasing hook, the combination of a casing, a knuckle pivoted in said casing, a hook arranged to be .detachably secured by said knuckle, a detent to secure said knuckle in locked relation with said hook, and means to release said detent from its engaged posi tion With said knuckle to permit the Withdrawal of said hook.

3. In a releasing hook, the combination with a casing, a knuckle pivoted in said casing and provided With an angular extension, a spring pressed detent adapted to releasably engage said extension to secure said knuckle in locked condition, and a flexible connection arranged to unlatch said detent "when the same is pulled, of a hook provided at its opposite end with devices engageable With said knuckle and adapted to be released when said detent is disengaged from said extension.

RALPH A. GAERTNER. Witnesses:

A. D. MULVEY, H. BARNES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C. 

